triple_duece
Ragin Cajun.
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Picked up 15 chicks a friend hatched for us.
TOO Homesteading
- Thread starter bowhunter1023
- Start date
Awesome! Adding chickens is really one of the best things I've done since being a homeowner. I have 14 at the moment and they're ramping up egg production. My rhode island reds are coming up on 3 years old and still doing great. I'd like to get back up to 18 before winter.
Good luck with yours!
Good luck with yours!
triple_duece
Ragin Cajun.
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Yeah I started w 14 hens, down to 6 now. We free range the 3/4 of the time and one or two come up missing here and there. They are in a coop at night. Figure I will get 6-8 hens out of this straight run and will keep a rooster. Taking care of 4 is the same work as 20 sooo...
The local Stock and Field (like Rural King) has their chicks in. They are either just now starting to get them in stock, or people are buying them fast. Didn't have many. I darn near grabbed some. Too bad we no longer have a coop. They are a bit of work, but all the fresh eggs are nice. I'm not sure Otis would leave them alone in order to free range them. Our last chickens met Hank (rest his GSP soul) and it didn't end well for the chickens. I'm just not sure now is the time to try chickens again.
Our Sheppard found a rabbits nest yesterday, my buddy and I were drinking a beer sitting on the deck and we noticed Bristol nosing around an island. There’s a hole there and I thought it belonged too a groundhog but too my surprise she was tossing baby rabbits around like her toys. Chickens would not make free range around here as well. Wife and I have kicked it around some. Might be a project down the road.
I have 3 labs that will help herd chickens. First time one puts their mouth on a bird, make sure they don't forget that moment. Problem solved 
triple_duece
Ragin Cajun.
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My lab walks along the chickens so that is not an issue. Now the new furry looking tennis balls (baby chicks) that’s to be determine.
triple_duece
Ragin Cajun.
- 9,174
- 159
I have 3 labs that will help herd chickens. First time one puts their mouth on a bird, make sure they don't forget that moment. Problem solved
Might work with Otis. Not sure he has ever seen them before. He has killed baby rabbit and squirrel already. A proper intro to chicks would be necessary. Strict supervision as well. Lol
Didn't matter with Hank. He had a taste for waterfowl. It carried over to chickens. Hunted over for waterfowl as a pup before I got him. He knew his role was to make them stop moving and drop them for you.
Buckmaster
Senior Member
triple_duece
Ragin Cajun.
- 9,174
- 159
Went to tractor supply and picked up 10 more hen poults. Now I have 25 bittys so should get at least 16-17 hens. With everything happening right now they just could be eaters in a few months. [emoji2373]
Buckmaster
Senior Member
From beginning to end...what is the all in estimated cost to raise a dozen chickens free range with a coup needed?
You really can’t put a price on it. To many different variables. Some chickens eat more food others prefer to free range more. I’ve had many different batches of chickens. Some you throw a scoop or two of food out in food bowls you come back in the evening it’s still there. Other batches they will eat it all.(same breed of chickens)
What I can say is it’s easier to buy them at 5 weeks old you will see them on Craigslist for 5 dollars a piece you will have that in each bird by then. Feed wise and then some. Also you will see stores after the big rush of spring chicken days. Drop the price of chickens I got 75 chickens last year at three weeks old I think I paid 50 cents a piece for. From a place in Newark they were getting to big for the store to keep up with.
I also got 85 Cornish rocks from tractor supply for 25 cents a piece cause they were getting to big. Ask a manger how much they would sale all the chickens for if you take them right then. Trust me the employees get sick of caring for them really quick. What ended up happening on that deal was majority of them ended up being Amber links and not Cornish cross. So employees mixed them together wasn’t to happy about that.
As far as chickens go if your in for it for eggs get sex links / golden comets many different names for pretty much the same bird. They consume the least amount of food and lay the most eggs. Very resilient birds. Americanas or Easter eggers lay different color eggs they are also very resilient birds.
For dual purpose eating and egging a Rhode Island Red or a barred rock is good. Both those breeds molt so when they do egg laying stops.
Depending on how many chickens you want I say buy 6 to 10 more if your going to free range them. You will lose some before they start to lay and after. Spring time is usually hard on chickens due to foxes having their cubs. Went turkey hunting a few years back was gone for two hours came back to over 20 chickens dead in my yard.
I can’t really tell you how much they cost, different birds different feeding mentality, Coupe wise is all dependent on how you build it and what kind of materials you use. I’d say mine right now cost me more than what it’s worth. I’m not selling eggs tho. (Unfortunately these ones are hogs feed wise vs free range) If I were it would be pretty much getting free eggs maybe a extra dollar or two. Cost of feed has went up through the years.
There’s nothing like farm fresh eggs tho. Also if their were ever hard times. Eggs are priceless the chickens can eat them if it was winter boil them up feed them the extra that you don’t need. Pretty much self sustaining and if ya wanted to splurge there’s a sandwich in every chicken.
Also if you own over 5 acres may be 8 I forget you can get tax exemption at tractor supply. Don’t let them bullshit you. Took me a year maybe two but finally found the right cashier to make it happen for me. She did it in under two minutes. The others said you have to this that etc. I went through the hoops etc.Got the big run around then was complaining the one day and the cashier was like really you don’t got to do all that and wamoo everything was took care of. I’m exempt on anything farm related in store. Anyhow think I have said enough.
twireman
Senior Member
That was a great review [mention]Floki [/mention]!!
My kids got there garden stared today. Tomatoes, cuc’s, peppers and radish so far.
My kids got there garden stared today. Tomatoes, cuc’s, peppers and radish so far.
triple_duece
Ragin Cajun.
- 9,174
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I have a friend that put the numbers to the cost of a chicken. He said he had about $20 in a chicken by the time it started laying. He told me to buy laying hens.
Cost of poult
Feeding
And you will lose one or two possibly before they lay an egg.
I will raise them from the egg from here on out as I will keep a rooster and incubator for follow up clutches.
In the end it’s a hobby for us. Ain’t no money to be made for me, probably costing me money even after setup. But I know where my eggs and or chicken meat is coming from and we also share w family and friends.
We let ours out to free range during the day a good bit of the week unless we get one eaten/missing. Then we cut it back some. Over 2 years I have six hens left out of 14. Two year old hens are at top production and will slack off after. These are just some things I have learned.
Cost of poult
Feeding
And you will lose one or two possibly before they lay an egg.
I will raise them from the egg from here on out as I will keep a rooster and incubator for follow up clutches.
In the end it’s a hobby for us. Ain’t no money to be made for me, probably costing me money even after setup. But I know where my eggs and or chicken meat is coming from and we also share w family and friends.
We let ours out to free range during the day a good bit of the week unless we get one eaten/missing. Then we cut it back some. Over 2 years I have six hens left out of 14. Two year old hens are at top production and will slack off after. These are just some things I have learned.
Buckmaster
Senior Member
Had a load of eggs today! Week's worth from 14. I encourage everyone here with even just a little bit of outdoor green space, get some chickens. You can raise 4-6 on next to nothing in terms of square footage and $. They are one of the highest ROI investments you can make in regards to self-sufficiency.
triple_duece
Ragin Cajun.
- 9,174
- 159
I gather them whenever I'm in the barn and as long as the weather is cool, I only bring them in once a week. They'll keep unwashed in temps below 60 for weeks. Once you wash them, the clock starts ticking on the freshness. No need to collect and wash much more than once a week from October-May.